The 39 Articles
by Britomartis
Summary: Edward 'Anglo Catholic' Masen and Bella 'Evangelical' Swan are placed in the same Church. When someone will stop at nothing to get Bella out,Edward finds out where his loyalties lie. Nobody said ministry would be easy. Same Couple, Different Story. E/B AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I own nothing

Chapter One- Of Faith in the Holy Trinity

St Paul's Episcopal Church seeks to appoint a Curate to work within its Family and Youth division.

The person in question must be Ordained, have a passion for youth and children's work and feel called to work in the Urban Seattle area.

We are a lively Anglican church, who wishes to engage further with the local community.

All enquires to the Reverend Carlisle Cullen.

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EPOV- Seattle, WA

The Reverend Edward Masen glanced down at the notice in the Parish Magazine, with not just a little trepidation. Nowhere within the advertisement did it state anything about the Choir, The Daily Office and the daily Devotional readings.

He had a nasty feeling that Carlisle should have been more specific in his advertisement information. At this time in the Church there was no contemplating what kind of person might apply.

His watch bleeped quietly, reminding him of his evening practise. He removed his glasses, and placed them on his desk. Rev Carlisle has long returned home.

Drawing his coat about him, he stepped out of the Parish office and headed over to the church

The choir, all eight of them, wrapped warm against the cold were waiting for him. They were all over eighty, save Mrs Denali who swore she had not seen forty. Edward dared not accuse her of lying.

"Sorry I am late."

The choir mumbled forgiveness as he headed over to the piano. Edward thought it was a terrible shame that so many of the youth has so little appreciation for classic choral anthems. He himself had grown to love them, sitting silently in the back of his grandmothers church as she had led the choir.

The piano was a half octave out of turn, he noticed. It was divine providence, he thought, smiling wryly to himself. So were the choir. Still, soon clear harmonies of the Bach chorale wove around him, filling him with a still sense of joy.

In the cold and rain of the Seattle winter the Reverend Edward Masen, second time curate of St Paul's Episcopal Church, felt the Peace of God.

BOV

"Rose, if you do not remove yourself from the Shower, so help me I will drag you out!"

Bella, wished that she had been able to stay at Theology College for the last month. Moving back in with her College roommate had not been the easiest decision. Especially when said roommate insisted on hogging the bathroom for at least 45 minutes each morning.

Especially on morning of job interviews.

A blast of hot stream hit her face as Rose passed her in the cramped hall.

"Sorry!"

Bella groaned loudly and rushed in.

"10 minutes it takes me, 10!" She mumbled to herself, blow drying her hair from her face. It wouldn't stay neat, she knew. Still, it hardly mattered. Heading down to the kitchen she grabbed a piece of toast from the pile that Rose, sipping her coffee serenely, had prepared. The wench smiled at her good naturedly.

"Where is this one?"

"Inner city, I won't get it."

She knew if she had looked up she would have seen Ro's sympathetic counsellor face.

"What number is this, Bells?"

"15."

It was getting pretty desperate. She was getting pretty desperate. 3 years at Theological college to be the last one placed. The problem was, largely, that none of the churches she wanted to work at would have her. Though, the less said on that the better, she knew.

Bella, prepared her notes and turned to Rose.

"Prayer time?"

Rose glanced up,

"On it, friend."

Ten minutes later, in her car driving down the I5, Stellar Kart blasting out of the speakers, Bella felt far more positive. She would end up where she was meant to, she knew. Well, she trusted which was hardly the same thing. Humming along to the beat she wondered if Jasper needed her to play bass for his Vineyard youth thing on Saturday. She hoped so, though his continual chant of 'Deacon Bella, Beacon Della' at a high pitch every time he saw her was getting wearing.

Bella hoped the church she was going to would have a good worship leader. They were tricky to get. Moreso she hoped that the church she was going to would be willing to hire her. She loved youth events and not leading her own stuff was eating at her.

"God has it Bella." She reminded herself. "You knew what you were getting yourself into."

3 hours later, as the Reverend Carlisle Cullen escorted his newest Curate to her Electric Blue Mini Cooper he knew he was no idea what he was getting himself into.

Still, he reminded himself, she would certainly liven up the choir.

**Let me know what you think. This was a bit of a cheeky prequel, longer chapters will follow.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I will be writing Bella's POV in First Person and Edward in Third. Hope this doesn't annoy people but it is the way I hear it in my head.**

**Updates should be every 7 to 10 days. I will try to update quicker at first, to get into the feel of the story.**

**Using a far bit of terminology, apologies. Please ask/let me know if I am being confusing, The Church of England website is also a pretty helpful resource as is, (sometimes) Wikipedia.**

**Chapter heading are from something called the 39 Articles of Faith which is a statement of Doctrine that all Anglican churches sign and agree to. All shall become more clear.**

**Thanks for Reading!**

**Brito**

Chapter Two- Of Christ the Son of God.

Bella Pov

"Rose!"

I screamed up the stairs of the apartment. The time on my watch suggested that she was likely to have just got in. Running up the stairs, I tripped a couple of times but finally pushed the door open.

Rose, looking slightly dazed, wandered out to the living room. I launched myself at her, bouncing up and down on my heels.

"I got the place!."

It wasn't long before she was jumping up and down with me.

"Awesome, Bella I am so relieved!"

She enthused, a huge mess of smiling blondeness. I grinned back.

"Yeah, no kidding."

The interview had gone far better than I expected. I had been nervous when the Bishop had referred me to St Pauls, though I dutifully applied. It wasn't the sort of church I was used to at all. When I pulled up I noticed the advertisement for Matins and winced inwardly. I'd had a couple of these interviews before. It wasn't that I had a problem, oh no, but it was just that it wasn't what I was used to. It wasn't the sort of church I would attend.

I wanted drums, bass, guitar and a lot of preaching. So often, I found this was neglected for a half empty church full of candles and incense. It made me angry, if I was honest. The interviews with these types of church has all gone badly. Clearly I wasn't what they wanted and they made it known quickly after I walked into the room.

St Paul's had been different. Reverend Carlisle Cullen was a handsome man in his late forties. He had been in charge of the Church for 3 years, he explained. They always had two Curates, one in their second Curacy and one in their first. He was very interested in where I had worked before, the college Union I was in and my work with the Vineyard Church.

As I stutteringly tried to explain the type of ministry I was comfortable with he quickly stopped me.

"Yes, I saw your application."

I prepared myself to be asked to leave. However, instead of showing me the door, surprisingly he then went on to explain a little more of the position and what he wanted. His passion for the community was clear and I wondered what it would be like to work for him. I imagined it would be rather good.

Most surprising of all, he wanted to offer me the position. He told me that he had decided before I had even attended the interview.

"I think the parish could use a little diversity and I think you could work well in our team."

The relief of finding a placement was like none other. Certainly it wasn't ideal, an urban mission or chaplaincy would have been better, but it would do. There was another Priest, Edward, Carlisle explained, but he was taking a funeral and was unable to meet me. I left the church, floating on air, a pray of thanks on my lips.

Eventually Rose pulled back from our mess of a hug/celebratory dance.

"Pizza tonight to Celebrate, I will eat Carbs just for you!"

Oh yes, I remembered, she was on another crazy meal plan to maintain her naturally curvy figure.

Just as I was about to retort, my cell phone beeped with a message.

_Ben sick, worship tnte, can u cover?_

_Jx_

I sighed, replied a quick yes and turned to Rose.

"Your brother has other plans for me tonight."

"It's fine, I'm helping at Youth, we can head over afterwards."

Both Rosalie and her brother Jasper attended the local Vineyard church where Jasper was the worship Pastor.

I'd meet them both first year of my undergraduate at College when Jasper, along with a girl Angela had led the Bible Study group in my hall of residence. Jazz and I, through our love of music had hit it off right away and soon I had a lively group of friends.

I hadn't known he had a sister until, one evening in October he requested prayer. That she was a freshman, also at UW had only emerged later. Rose, independent as she was now hadn't wanted anything to do with her older brother and college and instead got involved in the huge party scene.

Jazz had become a Christian, like me, at High School much to the annoyance of his parents, and his sister wanted none of it.

So, when one night when I was headed back to the library and I ran into a sobbing girl I had no idea it was Jasper's sister. That night I ended up heading to hospital and later the police station with her.

A houseparty had got out of hand, and Rose's then boyfriend Royce had dragged her out by her hair and into an alley. I imagined he was still in prison now.

I spent a lot of time with Rose from then, watching series after series of the OC. I was pretty useless as I had no idea what to say most of the time. Things got pretty rough. One night, when Jazz and I were heading back from an Ark meeting (One of the Christian groups on Campus) Jazz got a call. Rose had taken whatever pills she could find. But she'd called.

As Jazz and I finished our second years, she took a year out, had some counselling and did some drawing. Slowly but surely things began to change.

She ended up on a retreat, at the end of Second year. Then she ended up at Vineyard. The change was something. In my Third year she came back, focusing on a Counselling major. We shared a room, something encouraged more by Jasper than anyone, he loved his sister.

We were good for each other, I calmed her down, she forced me out of my comfort zone.

By the time I'd graduated and headed to Theological College Rosalie Hale was the heartbreaker of the UW counselling office.

Jasper had waltzed straight out of college, barely scraping a pass, into a Vineyard internship. No one had been surprised when he was offered a job. I think his parents were just relieved that he hadn't become a missionary, something he had been considering as long as I had known him.

For me it had always been clear. I love God, loved the Anglican church and wanted to work there. Sure, it had been a tough decision, but I was certain it was the right one. Jasper and Rosalie had always been very supportive, few among many.

…

"Bells, you are a life-saver!"

Jasper declared 2 hours later, running madly towards me. I gave him a one armed hug as he took my bass. I had changed back into my signature dark jeans and black t-shirt combo, my hair running a little uncontrolled over my shoulders.

"Anything I need to learn?."

"Nope, just standards tonight, someone from Missions is doing a talk."

I nodded slowly. Jasper looked up at me, a little warily.

"…About what Jake is doing."

I smiled tightly.

"Yeah, sure, I assumed so."

I headed up to the stage and flicked through the song list. Nothing too tricky. Most worship stuff was pretty easy on the bass, which was why I had picked it up in the first place.

I'd have rather not sat through a talk on Jacob Black, Missionary Extraordinaire but Jazz needed me.

Still, I reminded myself, I had a job. Glancing down at Jasper's worried face however; I decided to wait til later.

Besides, I was dying to know what Jake had been up to.

EPOV

Edward put down the phone and glanced bleakly out of the window. He had appointed someone then. A women.

He wandered over to the mirror and gazed, despondently into it. His hair was messy again. Frustrated, he turned back and sat down on the couch, pulling his laptop towards him.

Out of his robes and back in worn blue jeans and Polo shirt he felt slightly better about the covert facebook stalking he was to embark upon.

Typing Isabella Swan into the search engine pulled up a profile, but it was private. At least she was smart, he thought. It gave him a picture. A pretty brunette women, her arm wrapped around a blonde was posing outside of Macy's. They were both grinning. Edward wondered which was Bella.

Evidence inconclusive he turned to his next port of call- Google.

This proved more successful. A UW website displayed pictures of the Brunette at various different music festivals. She was playing the Bass.

In one, her hair was thrown over her face as her hand was lifted high in the air, grasping at something. In another she was with a group of guys, standing right in the middle, beaming and holding a large cheque. In another she was with a group of child, holding up hands that had clear been finger painting.

It was his worst fears come true. She was one of those. Modern.

It wasn't that Edward disliked or was opposed to modernity; in fact he appreciated some of music's headway in the last twenty years. It was just that he felt that it had its place.

And that wasn't it a church.

She looked very young too, he noted, feeling every inch his 29 years.

She must have gone straight in from College as he had done.

Edward Masen had been the youngest ordinate at 23 ever in the state of Washington.

His Grandmother had been so proud.

This mattered a lot to Edward Masen, since, from the age of 6 he had been raised solely by her. His mother had been his grandmother's only daughter and when she and her husband had been killed in a car crash, on the way back from a Beethoven recital, she had stepped in to raise their son.

Edward had always felt her love, and her grief. Lorna Masen was a piano teacher and Edward had started lessons the moment he had begun to live with her.

He moved onto the Organ at 10, playing at the Morning Eucharist. Edward had always loved the small Church they had attended in Southern Bellingham. The congregation, all retired, doted on the orphaned boy, bringing him sweets and books.

The question of him becoming a Priest had hardly been one. They said he was too young but Edward had known, from the minute he stepped into church at aged 6 that that was were he belonged.

After a short stint in Portland to get his Associates he had gone into Theological College. He had loved his first Curacy, with the Reverend Irina Hawthorne in Vancouver and when she announced her friend Carlisle's wish to have him in Seattle he leapt at the chance.

His Grandmother had lived just long enough to see him ordained. Edward hadn't cried though he wished he could have done.

His time at St Paul's had been tranquil. He loved the pace of the church year, the changing of the vestments and the steady order of the Book of Common Prayer. St Paul's served its congregation well.

Closing his laptop, Edward leaned back against the Couch, pinching the bridge of his nose.

He hoped Carlisle knew what he was doing. Isabella Swan looked like a Parish drama waiting to happen.

He had saved some of her pictures, the one of her and her friend included.

For Parish records, of course.

**Next Chapter Edward and Bella will meet. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Of his going down into Hell.

Bella's POV

A week later I was invited to lunch at the Rector's. Carlisle lived in the large Vicarage attached to the parish.

As I pulled up to the church I marvelled again at its odd location. On the edge of Fremont, it was almost exactly between the industrial and the college area. But really in neither.

The notification for my arrival had been placed in the parish newsletter the day after I was interviewed and I was to be installed the next Monday.

In keeping with this I had been invited to attend the morning service and then to meet Carlisle's family and the other Curate at lunch.

I had spent the week packing my things; Curates were always given accommodation by the church. I hadn't been told where exactly I was staying but I was sure that it would become clear on Sunday.

The service had been a little out of my comfort zone. The congregation, about 50 in hall were mainly elderly. They seemed scarce in the large church, which clearly hadn't been well insulated. It had been built in the style of its English counterparts and looked quite out of place in the quiet street.

Alas, they also seemed fond of the traditional hymn book.

I didn't see the other Curate until half way through the service; I gathered that he was playing the Organ. He was younger than I had anticipated. At Theological College most of the others training were in their 30's and 40's, I had imagined the other Curate to be around this age but he was far younger, probably only a few years old than myself.

He was tall too, probably around six foot. His oddly bronze coloured hair flopped untidily over his robes, a little too long. I noticed, when I went up to receive Communion that his eyes were an unusually green gold colour, though I didn't look closely.

I had learned early on in my Christian life that it was better to acknowledge good looks in order to move on from them. Reverend Edward Masen was very attractive. He seemed unaware of this fact, I noted as a middle aged blonde woman gushed over him at the end of the service.

A slight woman approached me; I imagined this was Carlisle's wife. She had a warm smiled and looked in her early forties.

"Bella Swan? I'm Esme, it is lovely to meet you."

I held out my hand but she drew me into a quick huge.

"I am so happy you have come."

I had the strange sense that she always meant what she said. Carlisle approached soon afterwards, the congregation having mainly filed out and rested a hand upon her shoulder.

"I see you have met my wife. I'm sorry my children are not here to meet you but you shall see them at lunch. Alice attends in the evening and Emmett, well, he was out late yesterday."

I nodded. It was typical in church families for the children of ministers to drift away. Either that or end up in ministry themselves. Extremes.

I shifted my feet, my heels a little too unused. I had wanted to make a good impression so, on the advice of Rose, had dressed up a little, in a navy pencil shirt and cream sweater. I only hoped that I wouldn't spill anything upon myself.

Reverend Masen returned inside the church and moved past us to the front. I got the impression that he was studiously avoiding eye contact and it was only when Carlisle called him did he turn around. Carlisle seemed to hide a look of annoyance.

"Edward, meet Isabella Swan, our new Curate."

Masen nodded, not meet my eyes.

"Pleasure to meet you."

He held out his hand to shake, which I did quickly. I noticed a muscle twitch in his jaw.

His jaw was well sculpted, I acknowledged.

I noticed he had disrobed (robes indeed!) and was dressed in a simple blue shirt (and dog collar) and black pants. Very smart. I thought wryly of Jaspers idea of formal, un-ripped jeans and a clean t-shirt.

"Perhaps, Edward could show you around." Esme suggested quietly. "Lunch will be another hour."

"Yes, that would be helpful" Carlisle affirmed. "Show her the Curate's house whilst you are there, Edward."

I'd have much rather gone back with Esme to the house and assisted with the lunch preparations, but they seemed quite insistent. Quietly, I followed Edward out of the church.

Edward POV

Edward was not entirely happy about showing the new Curate around by himself. It didn't seem appropriate somehow.

She had seemed very uncomfortable during the service, he had noticed, from his position in the Organ box. This confirmed his suspicions; she had no idea of what a Eucharist should be like.

At least she had dressed for Church, he acknowledged. Her skirt and jumper combination were highly acceptable.

The tour itself would be a good opportunity to display his knowledge of the church history; Edward had been making a study for his Masters in American Church History.

"St Mark's was built in the 1890's. You know Seattle's history, I suppose. It was designed to serve the community of Seattle at that time."

"Yes, I took the underground tour last year. I remember that they had one of the highest rates of prostitution in the US."

Edward swallowed. She, seeing his reaction, having grinned at him, swiftly reddened.

"So I have heard."

"Yes, that was part of it, and gambling. We narrowly avoided the flooding problems here. We were just 10 metres too high."

He watched her wrinkle her nose.

"That's…great."

After a swift tour of the churchyards most famous residents, she mentioned her disappointment at the lack of Bruce Lee, he led her over to the Curates house.

Bella POV

I cannot keep my mouth shut, I never could. Why I decided that then was the appropriate moment to reveal my knowledge,of the less savoury aspects of Seattle's history, I will never know.

Reverend Masen, I noticed he hadn't invited me to call him Edward, certainly didn't seem my age. In fact, I would have placed him near 40 if he hadn't looked so young.

He opened the door to a small flat, above a building that I had been told was the church office.

"This is where the Curate's usually live."

"Usually?" I questioned. He cleared his throat.

"Yes, well we decided that I should live with Carlisle. He has a spare room."

"I don't mind sharing."

"…it just wouldn't be that…seemly."

I knew I was blushing. Stupid bodily response.

"Ah, ok."

"I'm moving my things out tomorrow."

He lingered awkwardly to the side as I glanced around. I wouldn't have imagined that someone of his looks would have been so constantly uneasy but he seemed so uncomfortable.

I had a nasty feeling it was to do with my gender. I desperately hoped that he wasn't against my appointment.

"I'm sorry you had to move."

"No, it's fine,"

He didn't sound too reassuring. Awful stuff. The tour of the inside church was somewhat better, though I thought the pews seemed to take up rather a lot of space. I blanched inwardly at the baptism font.

"Where do people go for full immersion Baptist?"

He seemed to stiffen.

"We don't do that here."

Very defensive. Don't do that here **yet**, I thought to myself.

After an awkward and very long pause, he glanced at his watch.

"We should head to the Rectory; I would hate to keep Esme waiting."

….

By the end of lunch I was certain that the Reverend Edward Masen was the most pompous man I had ever met. I could imagine him waltzing his way into a Jane Austen novel. As Collins not Darcy.

The rest of the Cullen family I liked immensely.

Alice Cullen, a petite dark haired girl, began her assault on us at the door.

"Eddie!"

I could tell instantly that this was not a chosen nickname, though Masen appeared to take it with far more grace than he had treated me with.

It wasn't a second before she had cornered me, seeming to burst with energy.

"Oh! You are it! I was so excited when Dad told me… you are prettier than I thought you would be…I love your skirt, you look like you are from the 50's… finally another girl… It's been so quiet, not like Portland at all…"

I couldn't believe quite how much sound, volume and pace could immerge from one small girl. Still, her constant chatter was a relief after the layered silence of Reverend Masen.

I learned that she was at Seattle Pacific, studying Nursing and still living at home. This seemed to be a minor point of tension, though it was clear that she got on particularly well with both of her parents.

Emmett Cullen soon also made himself known. I recognised the signs of an intense hangover as soon as I saw them, but he seemed surprisingly chipper. He worked for the Mariners as a physio, a fact he seemed unabashedly proud of.

As we settled down for an enormous lunch of Chicken Alfredo I discovered that Esme worked as a visiting Doctor for the State.

After lunch, Emmett turned to me, a glint in his eye.

"So, Bella, will you be bringing a husband, with you to live in the vicarage?"

I hated this question. I hated the expectant looks of people's faces. I hated that Rev Masen was looking down at his plate.

"Um, no."

Emmett unfortunately was rather persistent.

"Really?, pretty girl like you with no one in the picture."

Esme frowned mildly at him.

"Emmett that is not a question to ask your father's new Curate."

I smiled weakly at her.

"No, it's alright. I'm not seeing anyone at the moment."

I waited for the awkward pause to finish. Fortunately, with Alice at the table this was short lived.

"Eddie, when are you moving in? I've re-designed your room, although Mom claims that you won't appreciate the color scheme. She thinks purple isn't manly."

A swift debate begun, with Alice defending her color choices against both Emmett and Reverend Masen. He seemed more comfortable with the Cullens, I noticed. He teased Alice with the same brotherly fondness that Emmett did.

Just me he didn't like then. Wonderful.

Carlisle was quiet throughout the meal, though I noticed him glancing between Reverend Masen and I several times with a concern expression on his face.

By the end of the meal I was certain that it was as I had feared. The Reverend Edward Masen was opposed to Women in Ministry and resented my appointment.

I left shortly after lunch, pleading my urgent need to pack as my excuse. Alice showed me to the door and hugged me exuberantly.

Returning in my car to Rose's I attempted to analysis my feelings about the parish. I concluded that I would be perfectly happy if Reverend Masen was not so difficult.

He had spoken to me only once, throughout the meal and that had been a question about where I had trained. Upon hearing my answer he had raised an eyebrow and returned to his meal. I hadn't known how to respond. Had he been openly hostile I could have replied, but silence was something else.

Still, hopefully we would be working separately much of the time. Carlisle had explained that I would be attempting to encourage young families into the community and work on the evening service, whilst Reverend Masen appeared to be focused on the elderly and hospital work. He would stay on the morning service.

The separation of duties had again confirmed my fears. Still, we were both under Carlisle's leadership and therefore equal.

I hoped that my worries were exaggerated for; I did not know what to make of Reverend Masen.

By the end of my visit he still had not asked me, unlike Carlisle, to address him by his first name.

"You could have at least been civil, Edward."

Carlisle tone was unusually disapproving as he observed his young Curate. He had pulled him aside into his study after Bella had left, concerned at how Edward had behaved. He knew that he was unhappy at the appointment but he had never seen him so impolite, so quiet.

"Forgive me, I believed I was being."

The younger man looked defiantly up at him before continuing.

"She was not what I expected; I did not know how to take her."

"You know why I appointed her, I explained my reasons."

Edward nodded slowly. Carlisle continued.

"I stand by them, she will be different Edward and you may not like it but, I will not have you behave in that way again."

He hoped that the younger man's respect for his judgement would hold long enough for him to see the benefits of this one. However, Edward's reply surprised him.

"I do not know another way to behave, she does not respond naturally."

He seemed more unsettled than Carlisle had imagined he would be. Still, perhaps that was a good thing.

"Then you must learn another way."

Edward stood stiffly.

"As you wish. If you will excuse me, I have much to do before the Evening Service."

Esme came to the door besides her husband as they watched Edward walk up the path.

"He will come round to it." Her voice beside him commented, her hand sliding into his.

"I hope so, though, I confess I cannot see now quite how."

He smiled down at his wife of twenty years.

"Still, we have seen him do more."

Esme smiled sadly.

"Yes, we have."

**Question for those reading at this point.**

**I have back stories for Alice/Jasper and Emmett/ Rosalie. Would you prefer if I weave these into the main fabric of the story or put them as separate one-shots? **

**At this point I can do either, though as we get further into the story it will become more difficult.**

**The Church I have used as a base is St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle. Their website had pictures if you wish to get a visual image. **

**The history of Seattle, as Bella mention is quite 'colourful' I would recommend the underground tour if you ever head over that way.**

**Also Bruce Lee is buried in Seattle, though in the center.**

**Let me know your thoughts.**


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